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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28347948">life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shumais/pseuds/shumais'>shumais</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I think?, Post-New Dangan Ronpa V3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:29:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,725</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28347948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shumais/pseuds/shumais</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Holy shit.” Kaito says.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So the bastards weren’t lying, the killing game really was all a simulation, and the proof was the person he killed sitting right in front of him. Kokichi, alive, and not mashed up under that chunk of metal.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Momota Kaito &amp; Oma Kokichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Completed stories I've read</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <em> <span class="s1">Day one.</span> </em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Holy shit.” Kaito says.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">So the bastards weren’t lying, the killing game really was all a simulation, and the proof was the person he killed sitting right in front of him. Kokichi, alive, and not mashed up under that chunk of metal. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The only thing that shows signs of life is his opened, tired eyes that refused to break away from him. It’s been a few hours since he woke up from the simulation. Everything felt almost excruciatingly painful. He could still feel himself being shoved under layers of the earth in that shabby spaceship. It was almost hard to breathe, no matter if the space wasn’t limited anymore. It was like the blood was still filling his lungs. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He gagged into his hand, nothing.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Nobody has seen him. After the news he was left alone, it was better that way for him so he could process it all. (</span> <span class="s1">They only left him alone after he nearly knocked one of the staff workers teeth out, screaming that what they claimed was bullshit.)</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">Then he left his room at some point, and that’s how he ended up standing in front of Kokichi, in this room that was supposedly closed off. He still can’t wrap his head around the situation, and the asshole staring at him like it’s the only thing he can do is not helping.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re alive.” He breathed out, immediately feeling sheepish when the smaller boy’s stare morphed into something trying to tell him that he was an idiot. <em>Okay, that was a stupid thing to say.</em> </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Kaito expects him to make a joke, try and get under his skin, sneer at him. That’s what he expected as he pressed the button and the press came down. He expected one last joke that would really piss him off. </span> <span class="s1">But there was nothing then, just the whirring of the press, and then the splatter of Kokichi’s blood spilling everywhere and trickling down the press. There was nothing now.</span></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Is Kokichi even alive? Maybe he’s still stuck in that exisal, it was suffocating sitting in that shit. This is just a hallucination, he’s <em>dying</em> inside that thing. He failed Kokichi, and the punishment is being watched every tedious second like this. </span> <span class="s1">He’s almost desperate for Kokichi to do something, because the lack of movement is really making him believe he’s dead. With jelly legs, he inches towards the unmoving being. </span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Yo...” He placed a firm hand on Kokichi’s shoulder and shook him a bit. </span> <span class="s1">Kokichi stares up at him, unamused. He lifts his own hand to swat Kaito’s away before his eyes widened abruptly. Kaito is pushed away, and he scowls, but the words of frustration die in his throat when gets a look at Kokichi again.</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Kokichi was patting down his own arm. (The arm Kaito’s arrow sunk into.) As heavy breaths escape him, his hands scramble to his back, feeling for something. (An arrow, coated with poison.) </span> <span class="s1">His face showcased an expression of pain. After a few more moments of this, he curled up into a ball.</span></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kokichi’s piercing stare returns, and he considered just leaving this room already. He’s thinking though, should Kokichi even be left alone after that? Whatever the hell just happened proved he was alive, so the fear in him subsides a little. He’s not sitting in the room with a ghost.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At the thought of a ghost, you’d think he’d be clinging onto someone in fear. There’s no room for childish reactions. There’s no point in trying to be bright and cheery around Kokichi either. Instead, he seats himself across from the former leader in another one of the uncomfortable chairs. Neither spoke, and he catches the other shut his eyes and succumb to sleep a while later. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He felt himself growing more tired every minute as well. It’s been a tough day, or night, or whatever the fuck time it was in whatever this place was. Today he crammed himself in an exisal and read off a script crafted by the one whose life he took for three hours straight. And then to top it all off he died. He <em>died</em>. </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">All over again, his blood runs cold. He sucked in a deep breath and watched Kokichi, waiting for something again, movement, confirmation that he’s not fucking losing it. Moments later, </span> <span class="s1">Kokichi moved into another position that faced away from him, sighing softly in his sleep. </span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><em> <span class="s1">Okay.</span> </em> <span class="s1">Hesitant but not unsettled, he stretched, his back popping from how still he had been for a few hours. Then he sprawls out on the chair, giving Kokichi one more glance. </span> <span class="s1">Then he’s out.</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <em><span class="s1">Day two.</span> </em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The door opened with a loud, grating shriek, and Kaede stepped into the room. She stares at them, they both stare right back. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Welcome back.” She says, the slight boisterousness and cheerfulness that once seeped into her voice now replaced with something leaning towards silence. This was starting to become impossible to digest. Two dead people surrounding him was so bizarre. Three dead people gathered in a room, it really doesn’t make sense.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Where are the others?” He questions. Kaede jolts slightly, she wasn’t even expecting him to speak. She pulls her unbuttoned sweater around herself tighter, directing her gaze away from them. </span> <span class="s1">“...Some are in their rooms, and some are eating together in the dining hall. You’re welcome to join.” </span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kaito nods, telling her she can head out with a muttered thank you. After that it’s dead silent again.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Can you stop looking at me like that?” He requested. Kokichi’s weary gaze is still pinned on him, </span> <span class="s2">of course he’s still going to be a stubborn asshole</span><span class="s1">. Just because he wasn’t speaking up ways to piss him off doesn’t mean that’s the end of his tactics, it seems. </span><span class="s1">Kaito really didn’t want to want to see the others at all, it might just make his brain melt and spill out his head. So he stays with Kokichi for a little longer, still ignoring the irritating stare. </span></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Then at some point he does take his leave, heading back to his room. Kaede had ran into him on the way and told him another class trial would be starting soon. She seemed insistent on getting him and Kokichi to come and watch. But why would he do that? He couldn’t even end the damn killing game and he bloodied his hands to try and reach that goal. He told Shuichi that their deaths weren’t meaningless, but his words were false.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">He turned around, Kokichi had followed him. With a quirk of his brow he spoke</span> <span class="s1">. “What?” </span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Finally, Kokichi’s stare breaks away in favor of staring at the patterned, glossy floor. He heaves a sigh, inviting him inside the room, and now they’re sitting with each other once again. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Can you just talk already, man? Kinda sucks that you’ve been silent this whole time, even when Akamatsu came.” He asks, and Kokichi’s staring starts up again. He groaned loudly, placing his head in his hands. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Can you kill me?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He jerked his head up. “What?” </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I said can you <em>kill</em> me.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">His eyes widened from the vast amount incredulity rising within him. <span class="s1">“No? Don’t-” He shuddered. “Don’t fucking ask me to do that again.” </span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kokichi picked himself up from his seat and stumbled over to Kaito. “Please.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He glared. “What the fuck! No, stop it!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kokichi twitched. “Why!?” </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Kaito’s taken aback at first, but doesn't let that deter him from shouting in return. “B-Because I’m never doing shit like that again! You’re alive Ouma, fucking ALIVE! We survived that shitty ass situation so you can’t just- Go and die again! </span> <span class="s1">Accept that, </span> <span class="s1">dammit!”</span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kokichi tugged at his hair, hiccuping. “I don’t want to be alive!” </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?” He wheezed out. </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It wasn’t supposed to end like <em>this</em>. You think I can just live happily like nothing ever happened? Like I didn't just fucking die, like we didn’t reach failure? I cant face those people. There’s nothing left for me here, so-”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ouma.” Kaito tries. “Hey- hey. You don’t-”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can’t. I can’t fucking do this, it doesn’t feel right. Nothing about this feels <em>right!</em> We aren’t alive... we died!” Kokichi’s wide eyes lock onto him. “We <em>died</em>. The others <em>died</em>. We’re just... I DON’T KNOW!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kaito grit his teeth. What does he even do about this? The Kokichi who’d always have that shit-eating plastered onto his face, the one who was such a thorn in his side in that simulation, he was breaking. Crumbling to pieces right in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And without thinking, he slammed a punch into his face, cursing himself under his breath seconds later.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Ouma-” He moved quick to go and check if he’s okay, but loses that chance when Kokichi lunged at him, bringing them both down to the floor. Kokichi threw punches at him aimlessly, and he shoves his face back to throw him off. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">They’re throwing each other around, knocking everything seemingly valuable in the room over. Screams, fueled by unbridled rage escape them both. There’s blood smeared all over the floor, all over his hands and all over Kokichi’s face. </span> <span class="s1">Then he knocked him back forfecfully. Kokichi’s skull collides with the floor and he shuddered at the sound.</span></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Kaito now had him pinned down. The bastard is trying to squirm free and keeps kicking him, but he won’t release him. He just needs him to calm the fuck down. </span> <span class="s1">Their breathing is messy and disoriented. His face hurts like hell from all the hits it received, who knew someone so small could pack a punch like that. </span></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Then the door slammed open. The other bastards, the ones to <em>blame</em> for everything, enter the scene. Kokichi had calmed down, he thought. But he looks back down to him and stiffens at the look of pure terror on Kokichi’s face. And he’s begging almost, with his voice quiet, for Kaito to save him. Kaito was frozen in place, completely unaware of what to do in this situation. </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Stop!” He yells at them, tries to make it a threat. Then Kokichi slipped out of his grasp and sprung to his feet, stepping in front of Kaito without taking his eyes off the two staff members. Kaito almost yells at him too, because now they were going take him away. Then he notices how the staff are less tense, and how one of them slid what he assumes is a sedative, into their pockets before they gestured Kokichi to follow them out the demolished room.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">He’s taken away to somewhere ‘safer’ for the time being, they say, and Kaito is left alone in the room, his heart beating in his ears while he’s catching his breath.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He wipes his nose, blood. There’s one moment where Rantaro poked his head into the room. So <em>he</em> must’ve been the one who informed those assholes that there was a fight going on. There was this disappointed yet sympathetic look in his dull eyes before he left. Kaito snarled.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Right after that, one of the staff comes back to help treat the injuries he’s sustained. There’s so many questions thrown at him, but he chooses to think about Kokichi instead.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Regret.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<hr/>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <em><span class="s1">Day three. </span> </em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Kaito decides he’ll watch the trial. He woke up as early as he possibly could so he wasn’t late. At first he figured it was for another murder, but it was the trial that would supposedly end the killing game. </span> <span class="s1">When he makes it to the place where only a few of them are gathered, he instantly spots Kokichi. He’s sitting away from everyone, knees pressed against his chest. Bruises that begin to form are visible on his face, washing another wave of regret over Kaito.</span></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Their eyes lock, so there’s no choice but to confront him it seems. He makes his way towards him, greeting those who greet him on the way halfheartedly. </span> <span class="s1">Kokichi scoots over, he takes the empty spot begrudgingly. </span></p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sorry.” Is the first thing he gets out. </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I deserved it, the stuff I said was uncalled for. Sorry.” Kokichi says in return.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He rubbed the back of his neck, brows furrowed. “Look I- I shouldn’t have punched you or anything, but you were a mess man.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, I know.” Kokichi grinned slightly. “Though... the fight was a bit satisfying.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“The fuck?” Kaito says, shooting him a look of disbelief. Kokichi puffed out a sigh. “I mean, I was able to let out a bunch of pent up anger... that’s why.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He has to agree, that fight helped him release a bit of anger he held towards this entire situation as well. “I mean, that doesn’t make it right.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kokichi rolled his eyes. “Whatever, it’s over with now. Don’t dwell on it.” </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The final class trial is starting, everyone is gathering around the monitor it’s being broadcasted on. “...And before we watch the trial, this won’t fix shit, but sorry for killing you. I know you asked or whatever, but I just wanted to say sorry.” Because Kokichi was broken from that turn of events, no sign of ever going back to the way he was. Those terrifying words that came out of his mouth won’t be forgotten. He ruined Kokichi.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kokichi stares at him again. This time Kaito stares back with his amethyst eyes, and they’re stuck like this as the room light flicks off. Then Kokichi lifts himself off the chair. “Sorry for making you a murderer.” Because Kaito was also broken from going through with the action of taking ones life, being eroded on the inside, having his nature of being able to bounce back easily snatched from his hands by guilt. For what? For their failure? </span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">They were each other’s downfall.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Not another word is spoken between them as they stroll to the others. Kirumi shushes the others who were speaking as the trial starts. He sees the detective stepping into his podium and the tension slips from his shoulders. Shuichi would end this, he believes in him. If he was in that trial he’d be motivating the hell out of him, but here... he just can’t.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He can’t be the cheerful and motivational and hopeful Kaito Momota anymore, so he doesn’t try keeping up that persona. He glances over at Kokichi, whose once dead eyes gained a little life to them when Shuichi was on screen. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The trial carried on, and when the truth of Kaede being framed for Rantaro’s murder was revealed, yelling boomed from almost everyone. Kaede had stormed out, Rantaro following behind shortly after. This whole revelation made him as bitter as she was.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When Tsumugi was confirmed to be the mastermind, everything got more and more intense. A lot of them were shouting that it was unexpected, or it was outrageous, but that was good for that bitch wasn’t it? She was able to hide in plain sight... he scoffed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">From the corner of his eye he can see Kokichi trembling, out of anger he presumed. He’s chewing the remains of his thumbnail, muttering things that are inaudible. If you don’t include Kaede, the reveal seemed to be getting under his skin the most. Was it because he did everything he did just to miss something that was so obvious now? Kaito himself was also surprised he hadn’t figured out Tsumugi was the beholder of the mastermind role early either.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">He’s not too sure why, but he places his hand on the mop of purple hair. It’s impossible to be sure how to comfort someone like him, and he didn’t want to touch him and cause a freak out like the first day they were stuck in this place. </span> <span class="s1">Not wanting to be met with those dull violet eyes staring at him again, he kept his gaze stuck on the screen. The trembling soon subsides.</span></p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And then Shuichi’s shouting he’d end this, pouring his heart out for those who died, <em>giving his life</em> so the curtains can close over this death game. (Just like him. Just like Kokichi. Only, he does it in a more admirable way.)</span>
</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Everyone else is shouting again too, but of motivation. He watches all of them, they’re crying, they’re cheering for Shuichi. For Maki. For Himiko... they’re cheering them all on. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Kokichi is also crying, he notices. He feels tears running down his face as well before he barks out a shout of motivation alongside everyone.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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